Well it is that time of year again…time for Jesus to talk
about sheep. This happens every year on
the 4th Sunday of Easter. If
my last name is any indication, you are learning from an expert. You are learning from a LAMB about
sheep. Okay, it’s not too often I make
jokes about my last name, but today is a great day to bring them out.
Today
this text is about Jesus and his identity as the Good Shepherd. In order for there to be a shepherd there
needs to be some sheep. We are the sheep
here. And if we are honest with
ourselves we do have some sheep-like characteristics. Sheep have a herd instinct. We have a herd instinct. Sheep are vulnerable. We are vulnerable. Sheep are wanderers. We are wanderers.
Let’s
start with the herd instinct. Sheep are
pretty dumb animals. If one sheep tries
to go through the fence the other one will.
If one sheep tries to jump off the cliff the others will follow. If one sheep won’t eat the food then the
others will not eat the food, even if it means starvation. They are creatures that follow their
leader. We, too, are followers. We have a herd instinct. All too often we follow what our culture
dictates as appropriate. If the culture
shows us that objectifying women is right we will allow it to happen. If the culture shows us that a specific car
is the in thing we will trick ourselves into believing it is true. If the culture makes us think we need to get
married and have children to be full members of society we will buy into that
way of thinking. If the culture shoves
media coverage of world events at us we get sucked into thinking we need to
watch it all. We follow because we have
been brainwashed to do so. We follow
because it is the “in” thing to do. That
herd instinct takes over instead of our intelligence and we do some dumb
things. We, like sheep, have a herd instinct.
Sheep
are vulnerable. They have many
predators: wolves, coyotes, foxes, dogs, eagles, mountain lions, and
bears. Against these predators they are
almost completely defenseless. Their
only defense mechanism is to stay together as a herd rather than to
scatter. We, too, are vulnerable. While our predators may not look the same as
the sheep’s predators, we are still defenseless against much that goes on
around us. Our lives are fragile. Without warning a wolf can strike. That wolf may be cancer or a car
accident. It might be a birth defect or the
loss of a job. It might be a bomb or an
explosion. If that isn’t apparent enough
after the past week I don’t know what is.
From the bombing at the Boston marathon
to the fertilizer plant explosion to the shooting at MIT, the search for the
bombers and an earthquake in China,
this past week, we have seen our vulnerability exposed. Predators are out there and they are ready to
capitalize on our vulnerability. Sin is
out there and it is ready to strike. We,
like sheep, are vulnerable.
Sheep
are wanderers. Often sheep wander away
from their shepherd and cannot find their way back. And when they are lost they do not have the
instinct like other animals to find their way home. We, too, are wanderers. We take the road less traveled and it gets us
in trouble. We hang out with the wrong
group of people and we get lost. We
stray from the shepherd and cannot find our way back on our own. We, like sheep, are wanderers.
That
may all sound quite Debby Downer or Negative Nancy of me to say, but the truth
is we can’t do it alone. For our
sheep-like characteristics we are given a shepherd. For our herd instinct, for our vulnerability,
for our wandering, we are given a shepherd through the person of Jesus Christ. Really, the shepherd does most of the
acting. The shepherd looks for us when
we go astray. The shepherd awaits our
return. The shepherd seeks us out. We read in John that the shepherd knows the
sheep and gives them eternal life. With
that in mind, the action of salvation is dependent on the work of God through
Jesus. Salvation is dependent on Jesus
knowing us and giving us eternal life.
To give us eternal life, the shepherd, showing how much he cares, takes
on our sheep-like characteristics and becomes for us the Lamb of God. At his crucifixion Jesus becomes a sheep led
to slaughter. On the cross he sacrifices
his life and washes us clean by his blood.
Our
response according to our text is that we, in turn, know the voice of the
shepherd and follow his voice. What
might it look like to follow Jesus’ voice today? Is it making a commitment to Lutheran Social
Services, as our special ministry this month.
Is it partnering with others to help build a house for someone in our
community through Habitat for Humanity.
Is it supporting the Piecemakers in their silent auction, knowing that
they use their money to help others. Is
it donating diapers to Love INC to be given to people who may otherwise not be
able to afford them. Is it sharing your
gifts to help with Vacation
Bible School
this summer. Is it making the ethical
choice to purchase fair trade coffee and tea.
Is it acknowledging the parent of an autistic child with a smile rather
than a glare. Is it recognizing the
visitor or the stranger in your midst.
Is it attending a Bible study so that you can learn more about matters
of faith. Is it praying for the bounty
placed on your table before you consume it.
At its core, following Jesus is about responding to the salvation we
have been given through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for our sake. At its core, following Jesus is putting our
actions where our beliefs are.
So,
hear this my sheep-like friends: You
have been chosen by God. You are part of
Jesus’ flock. You belong to Jesus. You are a sheep of God. Knowing that may you know and follow the
voice of the shepherd. May you know and
follow the voice of Jesus. Amen.
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